Alexander Zverev upstages Roger Federer after making history with bizarre US Open celebration
Professional athletes have been burned for celebrating victories too early in the past.
Whether it be rugby players getting tackled just as they dawdle over the try line, or tennis players thinking they had won a point, or athletes getting pipped to the finish, plenty have been left with egg on their face.
But with Alexander Zverev, it was quite the opposite. The German closed out a four-set win over Ben Shelton to win his first US Open title on Sunday.
However, the 29-year-old seemed to be the last to realise it in Arthur Ashe Stadium, as he turned away, preparing for the next point.
After the stadium announcer had read out the score and the crowd began cheering him, it finally dawned on the French Open champion what he had achieved.
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After the final, Andy Roddick initially thought that Zverev was imitating women’s singles US Open champion Elena Rybakina, who is known for her understated celebrations.
The American confirmed that Zverev had no idea he had won the tournament, in what he described as an “insane” moment.
On the latest episode of Served, Roddick said, “He did something that I am pretty sure no one has ever done. Won a Slam without knowing he won a Slam.
“Is he going full Rybakina? He comes on the [ESPN] desk and says, ‘I thought it was 5-1’. He goes, ‘My team yelled at me, I looked up’. Are you the first person who just looked up and realised you won a Slam? That was insane.”
While this was a much higher stakes moment, this harkens back to when Roger Federer did something very similar against Kei Nishikori in 2014.
The Swiss had just closed out a two-set victory over the Japanese in the semi-finals of the German event but he had no inkling the match was over.
After Nishikori netted a backhand, Federer pumped his fist and walked back to the baseline. He eventually realised what the score was, looked rather embarrassed, laughed it off, and then shared a nice embrace with his opponent at the net.
While Zverev’s two majors fall way short of Federer’s 20, he does have him beat when it comes to not knowing he had won such a prestigious tournament.
WHAT NEXT? John McEnroe calls for rule change after what Alexander Zverev did during US Open final
